Life in the on-deck circle has its challenges.If the New York Knicks can't find anybody better next season for their front line, they can bring back David Lee. If the Knicks can't find anybody better for their backcourt, they can re-sign Nate Robinson.
Meanwhile, the two players on one-year contracts are doing what they can for the Knicks, who will use their $20 million-plus of salary-cap room next summer to look for guys better than Lee and Robinson. Lee is averaging 18.2 points and 10.0 rebounds, but who knows if that will be good enough for the Knicks to try to bring him back next season?
In an interview with FanHouse, Lee was asked if he will want to make a quick decision when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next July, or be willing to wait around while the Knicks possibly court the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh?
As a restricted free agent last summer, Lee couldn't land a big-money offer sheet. He also wasn't able to get an offer from the Knicks, who didn't want to give up cap room beyond next summer, for anything more than one year. He settled for $7 million, at least a hefty raise from the $1.79 million he made last season.
"There's a lot of circumstances I couldn't control,'' Lee said. "The Knicks' current situation and the economy. Not a lot of teams have a whole lot of cap space and they're saving it for 2010. So, really, I got done a nice one-year deal. From there, I just focus on having a good season and control what I can control.''The Knicks could have offered Lee a deal worth little or no more than the $2.7 qualifying offer that kept him being restricted. But all that would have done was tick off Lee so there would be little chance he would want to return for 2010-11 and beyond.
The Knicks extended the same courtesy to Robinson, who also was a restricted free agent and had a qualifying offer of $2.9 million. They signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal, which Robinson, who made $2.02 million last season, called fair.
Like Lee, Robinson is in New York's on-deck circle. Then again, it's more like being in the hole considering a return by Robinson, a 5-9 guard whose scoring average has dropped to 11.9 from 17.2 last season, would be far less inviting for the Knicks than one by Lee.
"Same as last year,'' Robinson, who also was not offered a multi-year deal by New York, said of the uncertainty of his long-term future. "Nothing's changed. But I get to play the game [I] love every day.''
Both Lee and Robinson say they're happy in New York and wouldn't mind staying, but it remains to be seen how gung-ho the Knicks will be about them next summer. Due to cap holds, it could be difficult to bring back either one if the Knicks are successful in pursuing big-name free agents.
The future on the franchise doesn't exactly hinge on Robinson, so let's turn to Lee, a quality big man who averaged 16.2 points and 11.7 rebounds last season. He'd be a pretty good piece for any team to keep around.
If the Knicks are counting on signing two such big-name free agents, there's virtually no chance of having the money to keep Lee around. That will be hard, though, for the Knicks considering Lee will have a $10.5 million cap hold next summer (150 percent of his 2009-10 salary since he makes more than the NBA's average salary).
If the salary cap drops by about $4 million next summer from $57.7 million (some believe the cap could drop to as low as $52 million), the Knicks would be in line to have about $23 million of cap room. But, with Lee's cap hold, they would have to renounce him (as well as Robinson) or sign him to a deal starting at perhaps less than $7 million in order to sign one player to a maximum deal.
If the Knicks want to sign one big-name free agent from another team and keep Lee, they could do some wiggling and perhaps get it done. If they're counting on signing two such big-name free agents, there's virtually no chance of having the money to keep Lee around.
"I am wide open,'' Lee said of where he might be willing to go next summer as a free agent. "I have enjoyed my time in New York ... I love playing for coach (Mike D'Antoni). So I'm happy where I am.''
Robinson said his preference would be to re-sign with the Knicks.
"I hope so,'' said Robinson, who will have an $8 million cap hold (200 percent of his 2009-10 salary since he makes less than the average NBA salary). "This is where I've been since Day 1. We'll see. This is a business, and I understand that.''
Before July rolls around, though, something else could come into play. As players who signed one-year contracts and are due next summer to have Larry Bird rights as free agents, Lee and Robinson both could veto trades if wanted to be moved by the struggling Knicks, off to a 3-14 start. If either did agree to a deal, Bird rights would be lost with the new team.
"It's (either) meant for me to be traded or meant for me to stay. It is what is,'' Robinson said.
Lee also isn't tipping his hand on his thinking if a trade were to be proposed.
"That will be something that we'll look at if that comes up,'' said Lee, who like Robinson, can't be traded until late December due to a late September signing. "At this point, I'm happy to be in New York and to be back here this year. I'm trying to make the most of it.''
Whether what Lee does will be enough to remain with New York remains to be seen. Lee and Robinson are essentially rental players this season, with the Knicks perhaps having an option to buy.
Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Management of the Knicks have screwed things up so bad that I may not get to see another good Knick team in my life time.
They may not win 20 games this year. And with no first round pick next year it's not going to be pretty. The Knicks should just trade Lee , Robinson for picks and really start the rebuilding process.
It's time to play the kids and dump all the weight that will have no future with the Knicks by the time they fix this mess they have.
I agree that the Knicks should try unloading all of their name players for draft picks. The chemistry just isn't there within the present group, to advance into a playoff spot. In the process, good players, like Robinson and Lee might benefit career wise by trades to teams that might at least contend. Eddie Curry is still too injury prone to play in anyone's starting lineup. He is also not inclined to work on the fundamentals necessary to be a front liner in the NBA.
Neither player has contributed to any team success, though losing is not just their fault, but bottom line is they have not contributed to a team winning. The coaches style contributes to gaudy offensive stats, so be careful with any of the Knicks players. Both will do fine elsewhere.
I think both of these guys are underrated and I think a guy like David Lee would be a perfect fit for a lot of teams ... one that comes to mind right away is the Orlando Magic. I'm not sure they would have any cap space to make a deal like that work but I'd love to see Orlando continue to be agressive and snag at least Lee and maybe Robinson as well. He and Nelson might be the smallest PG's since Earl Boykins but there isn't much to lose considering the backups are Williams and Johnson.
I guess the real question is this: Would David Lee be an upgrade over Ryan Anderson? He would be a better rebounder and then ORL could slide Lewis to the 3 and Carter to the 2 and have an actual 4 man but then Pietrus would come in off the bench. Maybe it's best not to mess with the chemistry of the team as it is. I'd just like to see dump that Gortat contract while he still has value. I loved the signing of Bass but he doesn't get much PT ... just talking out loud here.
The Knicks have been playing better recently, and it is important to recognize that a better team now means a better team a year from now. The Knicks should trade Nate for some other young players or draft picks -- Portland might be an option; they should move Al Harrington -- not now, but closer to the Trade Deadline -- to a team like Chicago, but make sure that they take back Jarred Jeffries; finally, let Eddy Curry play. He is never going to dominate the way he should, but he can be very good, especially as a second or third option.
Donnie Walsh has a plan. Let's just be patient. GO KNICKS!